


Bending the Aether

by sweetdivision



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29922993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetdivision/pseuds/sweetdivision
Summary: Months after finding her place amongst the Northuldra, Elsa finally feels her guard melting away under Honeymaren's warm attentions. However, the spirits are restless, and a shadow looms over Arendelle.  Magic and mastery of the elements may not be enough for Elsa to save her home, her family, and her love...
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	1. Wind

“I never realized how boring those meetings were.”

“Why do you think I never gave you the details?”

Anna sighed, leaning against the stonework of a tower’s balcony, “Secret queen stuff?”

Her sister rolled her eyes but smirked at the dramatic display. 

“Trade tariffs and taxation percentages are important, I guess,” the queen continued, shrugging, “Thanks for sitting in. I know I got this...but having you as an advisor is nice.”

Elsa smiled. “Of course. After you signed the treaty with Yelana, it makes sense for either myself or her to show up occasionally to represent the Northuldra,” she took her sister’s hands with a gentle squeeze, “You can be an independent leader proving yourself while still respectfully and maturely listening to input from others.”

The hands in hers squeezed back. “Spoken like a queen.”

Elsa let go and walked to the balcony’s edge with a laugh, “Ex-Queen.”

The redhead observed as the other woman seemed to survey the city below them. Months ago, when witnessing the same practice, Elsa’s brow was always wrinkled with worry. Now, she looked quietly amused, admiring the view, her glittering gown lightly moving in the breeze, bare feet on the stone underneath them.

Anna walked up and bumped her sister’s hip with her own before resting her elbows on the stone railing.

“Is it weird?”

“Is what weird?”

“I mean, you’ve had a crazy past few years. You went from shut-in princess to queen to magic sorceress to...what would you call it? Supreme Goddess of Nature?”

Elsa snorted, “That’s extreme.”

“You still get my point.”

“Life feels different now, especially in the forest. Like I belong,” After a beat, Elsa suddenly turned to her sister, “Not that I didn’t feel that way with you and our friends! It’s just...For once, I think I finally feel almost completely myself, magic and all.”

“Almost?” Anna asked, elbowing her companion when she didn’t get a response, “Elsa.”

The other grumbled, turning to now look up at the castle’s spires.

“I can’t explain it. I’ve always been so preoccupied concealing my powers or leading Arendelle or some other traumatic affair. Now that I finally feel at peace with myself and my existence in life, I’m wondering for the first time if maybe…” she paused, sighing, before finally looking back at Anna, “Maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible to share that existence with someone.”

“Oh. Oh!” the younger woman shrieked, “This is so exciting. I’ve only been waiting for you to have a crush on someone for, like, ever.”

The blonde shook her head. “That’s ridiculous, it’s not a crush. A small desire for companionship maybe.”

“Mhm.”

“I can want friends.”

“I thought you said you had those already?”

“This is different.”

“Exactly my point,” Anna exclaimed triumphantly, before asking with a devious smile, “Who is it?”

Elsa started to walk away and too calmly, too smoothly, stated, “No one.”

Anna practically bounced to catch up to her sister. “Elsa, you’re twenty-five years-old, it was bound to happen at some point. I mean, if you were to look at me and honestly tell me that you never have and never will be romantically interested in someone, I’ll believe you. Cousin Joffrey was like that. It’s very normal.”

Her response was a sigh. They walked in silence a few steps across the bulwark. 

Anna waited. She had waited almost twenty years. Casually, she hummed a small tune as they walked, resisting the urge to poke her sister until she broke.

Elsa’s muttering was barely heard over the breeze from their tall vantage point on the wall. “I’ve always pushed people away. This is new. And a little terrifying.”

“You died and came back. A crush is terrifying?”

“You died and came back. Not that unique and terrifying for us.”

“Dork,” the queen grinned, “I’m sort of glad this could be something you want though. I know you have all these cool powers and the forces of nature at your beck and call, but the thought of you having someone with you makes me happy. Someone has to keep you company in that forest,” Anna slyly glanced next to her, “If they are in the forest?”

Elsa shook her head but was nevertheless back to smiling. “I’m fine on my own, and I always come back to visit.”

Anna looked out over Arendelle. Her Arendelle. “True. But why be just fine when you could be happy?”

“How have you gotten even sappier since being engaged?”

“I found my person, and now we get to be together forever,” Anna beamed before turning back to her sister with wide, horror-filled eyes, “These royal wedding planners though...yikes.”

* * *

Hoof-beats pounded against the earth as Nokk carried Elsa across the plain separating the outskirts of the capital to the forest. Her visit with Anna following their oficial business had been pleasant. Though the land she travelled was once foggy and impenetrable, the sunlight, even at sunset, now easily brightened the way, pink light glistening off melted snow. The grass and ground eagerly peaked through, as if eager for the first warm season following the breaking of the curse.

There was harmony in the elements and peace, and Elsa smiled into the wind blowing her hair wildly as the duo charged forward. Could she thank Gale for such a beautiful day, such a pleasant breeze on this eve of Spring?

Thinking the name alone seemed to suddenly bring on a dizziness, an ache. The rush of air from riding seemed deafening now, but the horse was now gone. The sounds of footsteps, gone. Her vision of the woods grew misty in the edges and a voice, almost singing, whistled in her head.

_ Sssssssomething movessss the treesssssss. Sssssailss asssssking me for fiiiiiilling. Ssssneaking and ssssailing. _

“Lady Elsa!”

As if waking up, Elsa found herself jolted by the sound of her name, the forest suddenly in full force before her. Nokk trotted towards the Northuldra village; Elsa somehow knew, somehow felt, that the spirit had followed some unspoken command in her heart to bring her  _ home _ . Perhaps she had fallen asleep during the ride. Could it be merely a dream? She set aside the questions bubbling in her mind, focusing on the person greeting her.

Yelana continued to wave her over, quickly finishing a conversation with what appeared to be a returning hunting party. As they walked away, she turned to the woman as she slid gracefully off the icey spirit’s back.

“Lady Elsa, what a pleasant surprise.”

The blonde produced a small package and replied, “I have a gift from the Queen. For you,” she leaned in with mock seriousness and whispered, “I was told to keep it very secret.”

The Northuldra leader delicately removed a tiny section of the wrapping to reveal a label of Arendellian whiskey.

“Oh my...now this is a mighty gift indeed for us out here. I take it she liked my engagement present?” she asked, eyes glittering with mirth.

Elsa laughed, “Even I do not know what magic you work on those berries to make a mead that strong. She had hoped this would be an even trade nonetheless.”

“You’ll have to give her my thanks next time you see her,” the elder said before draping an arm across Elsa’s shoulders, steering her into the camp, “Come, there’s a nice fire tonight, you should join us for supper.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

“Please, you should know you’re always welcome here. You’re here so often, I should really just give you a tent by now.”

“Sleeping on the beach is shockingly comfortable,” Elsa replied sheepishly, but she did not fight the old woman, allowing herself to be led deeper into the camp.

Yes, Nokk had delivered her home. That fact however was still unspoken out loud to anyone. She was of Arendelle, born and raised to rule the capital. That should be home, where Anna was. And yet, deep down, the woman who had abdicated the throne and embraced the world of magic knew that the People of the Sun were now her family. Months of sitting by their fires seemed to make it obvious. She knew them so well now, became so invested in their lives; and they seemed genuinely happy to have her amongst them.

Still, Elsa found attention and socializing hard, even years after her isolation in the castle had ended. Old habits left her feeling embarrassed as she politely listened to issues and daily struggles from the Northuldra. Their reverence was almost god-like, and they treated her as an extension of the spirit themselves. Yes, she technically was. No, that did not make advising on their troubles any easier. Like Anna had asked, what even was she?

_ “Lady Elsa, which fields do you think will be blessed with a large crop this year?” _

_ “My Lady, would the water spirit accept our offering so it may rain this week?” _

_ “Lady Elsa, is the birth of my grandchild ill-fated under the North Star or ordained to bring us fortune under the Summer Solstice?” _

The former queen answered politely, if not vaguely, with as much sincerity as she could muster. Politics in the forest weren’t all that different from the city.

It was one particular voice that finally arrived at the campfire once the sun had completely set and diverted her attention wholly.

“My Lady.”

Honeymaren claimed a spot on the same log next to Elsa, an easy, relaxed smile warmly reflected on her face in firelight. ‘Lady Elsa’ seemed stuffy and formal when everyone else used it, as if it harbored some dying remnants of the official title she lost when she renounced her queenship. On Honeymaren’s lips, however, it was teasing, hinting at a game they had been playing for some time now.

Elsa tried to hide a smile as she invoked her own nickname for the woman with mock seriousness, “Shepherdess.”

Her response was a smirk. “How was your trip?”

“Uneventful,” Elsa shrugged before eyeing the large dirt and mud stains on Honeymaren’s tunic, “Dare I ask how your day fared?”

With a sigh, the Northdran removed her cap, explaining, “The snow is melting, Spring is coming, and the herd is restless. Wet ground and running beasts didn’t work out very well for me today.”

“Do you not like Spring?”

She glanced from the fire to the blonde, still blatantly cheerful despite her lamenting.

“I’ve grown fond of Winter,” she stated simply with a smile.

Elsa looked away shyly, down at the log between them, but she found her lips curling upward. 

“In that case, hold still,” she murmured, holding up her hand and spreading her fingers.

If someone asked Elsa how her magic worked, she would have no idea how to explain that it simply happened. For years, it often happened without her consent. Somewhere in between the balance of fear and love, she had learned control, but how or why was still lost on her. One fundamental principle, however, was always obvious to her; ice was the element of lawful order.

Despite the chaos of nature, the wild instinct of magic, ice was extremely organized, solidly based in fundamental principles of math and geometry. A simple study of the various possibilities and combinations of snowflake creation and design easily demonstrated this fact. From her mind and into reality, Elsa had created architecturally flawless castles, sparkling gowns, and even living snowmen. Clothes were by far the most simple; fabric was interlocking grid lines and patterns. Ice easily replicated those structures. Ice to water was fairly straightforward. Cleansing dirt and then dismissing it altogether was a simple progression of logic.

Therefore, when a flick of her wrist frosted Honeymaren’s clothing, and the following wave of her hand removed the ice and dirt completely, it simply made sense. The outfit was now spotless.

“Amazing,” Honeymaren muttered, looking down her own torso. When she heard Elsa scoff in response, she looked up immediately, exclaiming, “No, really, you are. I know you’re probably sick of people telling you that everyday, but I mean it.”

“Please. No one says that,” Elsa replied, looking down at her hands that had returned to a folded position on her lap, “I still got a lot of stares back in the city today.”

“Even those of us that have known the forest spirits and magic our whole lives are in awe of you.”

Elsa looked up from her lap to the fire before them. She could feel the brunette's eyes on her. While she should accept the complement and move on, as most social norms would dictate, she couldn’t bring herself to hide the truth from this woman.

Maybe Anna was right about letting people in.

“Awe always seems to come with a dose of fear. People simply hide it better when they benefit from it,” Elsa explained, her voice quiet but her tone firm.

Even she was a bit shocked at the bitterness she felt as she said it. The revelation made her turn quickly to Honeymaren.

“Not you, not your people. It was like that for a few years in Arendelle, once my secret was out, so to speak. You all embrace enchantments in your daily lives gladly,” she smiled, “You were right when you said I belong here.”

Honeymaren met her gaze and seemed to slowly mull over her words. Her expression did not bear traces of anger or sadness at Elsa’s small act of self-pity nor did it boast its usually bright smile. It was one of quiet contemplation, but her eyes remained fixed.

She leaned forward and rested her hand on Elsa’s. Her voice was exceedingly calm and gentle as she explained, “Elsa,you’re amazing, with or without the magic. That’s why you belong here. Because you think a lizard that can set our whole camp on fire is cute. Because even if you didn’t have the powers, I’m completely convinced you’d still walk around barefoot in the woods. It’s you.”

And Elsa believed her. As she stared back into those brown eyes, she knew for at least this one single person, it wasn’t about the magic that made her a god or a monster. It was just her.

Nokk really had brought her home.

She knew she was blushing as she looked away to the fire once more, muttering with a small smile, “Thank you.”

Honemauren’s tumb completed one loop on the back of her hand before letting go, seemingly content with Elsa’s response, and she moved to return her cap to her head. 

“You should come see the reindeer tomorrow, they miss you.”

“Perhaps I shall, Shepherdess.” 

“Whatever you wish, My Lady.”

They stayed side by side at the campfire until the elders let the flames dissolved to embers.


	2. Earth

“And this big man over here is the little baby that cuddled on your lap the first day we met.”

“Really? After just a few months?”

“He’s basically a teenager now.”

The large clearing was damp with melted snow. The sizable herds roamed freely and prodded at new grass they hadn’t seen in a season. A very simple fencing of wooden posts surrounded them, rather obvious to any human observer it could be easily knocked over by a reindeer with enough willpower. However, the animals were tame enough under Honeymaren and her brother’s guidance, and Elsa learned these structures were always temporary and seasonal; they would soon be moving to pastures fresh with new grass as the weather continued to warm. 

The buck before them huffed, as if aware his shepherd spoke of him.

Elsa reached forward and gently brushed her fingers down the length of the beast’s snout. Huge eyes turned and looked at hers.

The smell of grass and flowers overwhelmed her nose. Her legs suddenly felt tense, eager, ready, and green bled into her vision as images of meadows weaved in and out.

“He’s ready for Spring,” Elsa confirmed, smiling at the reindeer.

“I think they all are. Warm weather, better food, and um, friendly engagements with the ladies,” Honeymaren chuckled next to her.

“Hm, it’s not that,” Elsa said as she tilted her head, as if in deep thought, petting the reindeer’s face, “I think he just wants to run.”

There was a pause before Honeymaren whispered, “Can you talk to animals?”

The blonde laughed, “No, not yet anyway. But I can feel them now. Sometimes there’s not always clear separation between myself and the forest,” she trailed off before turning to her companion, “That must be so odd to hear.”

She shrugged. “Is it odd to you?”

“No. I may not understand it, but it actually feels very natural and normal. For once in my life,” Elsa admitted sheepishly.

“Then it’s not odd,” Honeymaren stated with a nod, turning to the buck and giving him a firm pat on the back, “Don’t worry, buddy, you’ll get to stretch your legs soon.”

Elsa busied herself with continuing to stroke the animal’s head. The other woman’s confidence and easy acceptance was somehow always a surprise. While delivered quite casually, the implication was intense, and the once queen struggled not to blush at the act; it hinted to an intimacy the former shut-in did not often experience. Acceptance was still new, and seeing it done so with such a charming smile made one feel flustered.

“Would you like to go for a ride?”

“On him?”

“Sure, you said he wants to run, and he’s big enough for both of us now.”

A familiar and instinctual mantra of  _ conceal, don’t feel _ was chanting inside Elsa’s head. The other woman’s playful smirk was too much. She simply nodded in affirmation, moving to tie her hair up with an icy twist in preparation of riding.

A sudden surge of wind collided directly with Elsa’s back, and she lurched backward. Directly into Honeymaren. The pair managed not to fall to the ground; strong arms surrounded her waist. Elsa was suddenly overly aware of how muscular the other woman was from working in the fields.

Giggling floated on the breeze as the grass moved, showing Gale’s joyful retreat, the spirit’s goal of mischief and chaos completed.

“Gale’s in high spirits today. You alright?” Honeymaren asked, steadying Elsa to her feet, hands still securely gripping and supporting her forearms. 

_ Conceal, don’t feel, conceal, don’t feel. _

“Yes, thank you. I feel I’ve gained more younger siblings recently.”

“You want mine too? I’ll give you a discount for him,” she shot back with a snickering grin.

Again, it was too easy, too comfortable. That damn smile. It didn’t help as they hopped onto the beast’s back, feeling Honeymaren’s arms surround her, gripping the reins, body pressed against her back once they were in their shared saddle.

Elsa gulped as she grabbed the saddle’s pommel. At least her riding companion seated behind her couldn’t see her face as she stared forward, through the reindeer’s horns.

The buck, for his part, behaved extremely well. As if knowing his unspoken cry for exploring had been magically heard by the duo, he obeyed Honeymaren’s commands easily in exchange for the chance to run. Elsa was impressed by the work the herder had clearly put into training the animals for the more equestrian needs of the village.

Indeed, Honeymaren was a skilled rider, and despite the simultaneously delightful and terrifying feeling of her forearms tensing with control and command of reins against Elsa’s frame, the blonde deeply enjoyed the ride. She had taken to exploring the forests with Nokk during the past Winter months, but what was once white was beginning to see bright greens and yellows.

The meadows further north held few trees, and the sun reigned more freely than in the thick of the forest. Snow was gone, and the grass was an almost luscious gold. The reindeer beneath them was allowed to sprint fully, and specks of color, newly budding weeds and flowers were passing by in a blurr. Harmony of the spirits and the natural magic of the seasons changing was truly beautiful for the mistress of ice, and somehow, she knew this was a gift Honeymaren had wanted to show her.

A rumble echoed across the plain, but Elsa saw no dark clouds in the sky. 

When it happened again, seemingly from the mountains, Elsa shouted against the wind and force of their riding, “Was that the Earth Giants?”

“Probably,” Honeymaren loudly replied.

Another boom reverberated from the cliffs in the distance.

“They aren’t usually that excited,” Elsa called back, somewhat concerned.

“Not recently. But they’ve been known to stumble around.”

Suddenly, the explosive noise was bursting her head.

_ SHADOW. DESTROY. _

Anger exploded in Elsa’s chest like a massive fissure cracking her in half. It was blinding and absolute. She felt the power to destroy a hundred Arendelles ripple just at her fingertips, tearing through her veins. Thunder-like bangs echoed in her ears as the ground shook.

All the rage and blind emotion vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and Elsa’s energy was sapped with it. She swayed in the saddle as her grip failed, slipping towards the speeding earth below them.

In her dizziness, she felt the arms around her tighten as they jerked to a stop, halting her plummet to the ground.

“Woah, are you alright?”

Was it real? What did it even mean? Vague images and random emotions, even for a partial spirit, was not generally a reliable source of information. The reindeer’s mood had been one thing, but who or what was this?

Was she simply going crazy?

“Yes, I’m sorry, just a little light-headed,” the blonde replied, regaining her sitting position atop the now stationary mount. 

Honeymaren expertly hopped off the saddle to the ground, immediately outstretching her hands, gesturing for Elsa to dismount.

“I know riding reindeer is a bit rougher than horseback.”

“It’s not that,” Elsa replied, sliding off the reindeer’s back with the assistance of Honeymaren’s steadying hands. She tried to swallow her embarrassment as the other woman kept a light touch to her waist to ensure she was steady on the ground. With a reassuring nod, she took a few steps forward to demonstrate her balance and full consciousness.

Honeymaren patiently waited, traces of concern still left on her countenance. The reindeer started prodding at the ground for a grassy snack, easily left on his own to behave.

“Before Arendelle, before the fog,” Elsa asked, glancing across the vast valley before them, “Were there any enemies of the Northuldra?”

Honeymaren frowned at the seemingly random question. “Not really, I think the cliffs make it hard for anything human. You probably know more about our geography than I do,” she finished with a chuckle.

The former royal easily tapped into her training, almost picturing the words of a common history book, explaining, “The region that surrounds Arendelle is mostly forest and mountains. Makes it hard to infiltrate by land. Trade is mostly via the fjord and the Southern Sea. Our armada is one of the greatest in the world.”

“Makes sense. Plus, we have Earth Giants. So. Pretty hard to sneak a whole army in here. Everything else is just myths and legends,” Honeymaren grinned walking forward to stand next to Elsa as she perused the landscape, “You still seem worried.”

She was. But of what? A couple of odd visions and dreams hardly explained any concrete fears.

“Some would say I was a myth. That this whole forest was a myth.”

“And that’s why I do not worry about what’s to come, real or myth. We have the spirits. We have you.”

Elsa huffed, “I worry.”

“You always worry,” Honeymaren chided softly, taking the other’s hand, “I’ll just have to distract you. Come on.”

With a slight tug, they were suddenly standing face to face. Elsa’s hand was guided to the other woman’s shoulder, and she felt a light pressure against her lower back.

“What are you doing?”

“Isn’t this how they do it in court?” the brunette questioned before her eyebrows shot upwards, “Oh wait, I forgot the important part first.”

Honeymaren immediately let go, taking a large, comical step backwards. She made a sweeping, dramatic bow, mimicking the most formal of the lords of Arendelle.

Elsa found it rather adorable. The Northuldran looked up expectantly, still more horizontal than vertical.

With a chuckle, Elsa flourished the most queenly of courtesies. Barefoot. In the middle of the valley. After suffering hallucinations. Smelling of reindeer. To a lady shepherd she was trying desperately not to fall madly in love with. Perhaps she really was going crazy.

Honeymaren eagerly returned before her, standing tall, placing hands in the designated positions before leading them into a rather popular waltz very familiar to the former noble.

After a few successful circles, Elsa questioned, “How did you learn to dance like this?”

“Don’t laugh. Olaf.”

“I’m surprised.”

“He’s pretty observant and an expert on city culture, though he doesn’t have a good height for hands-on teaching,” Honeymaren admitted with a pointed look, and Elsa laughed at the hypothetical teaching sessions with the snowman that popped into her imagination.

“No, I mean, I’m surprised at how good you are. Given probably limited practice.”

Honeymaren grinned, “Well, you’ve adjusted quickly to being with us in the woods. I thought I’d try and pick up some of the things you likely had to learn growing up to keep it fair,” she briefly glanced around the field before muttering, “Probably could do with some music though.”

Learning to dance had been particularly difficult for Elsa. Only one or two instructors had been allowed in her presence for schooling and other matters of royal etiquette, and it was certainly a risk to require her to touch one in order to learn the lesson in question. Back then, she had been quaking in her gloves as an overly skinny, old, balding man had reprimanded her for every misstep. After all, a queen would need to entertain and do so gracefully lest she disgrace the kingdom. Little did he know then all she could focus on was trying not to kill him with an icy death.

In comparison, this was much better.

Honeymaren smelled like pine, and her fur-lined tunic was soft to the touch. Glittering, golden-brown eyes eagerly darted from feet to face. The novice seemingly relied on her proficient dexterity more than inherent knowledge of dance, making some of their movements clumsy. However, an excited smile remained ever constant on the shepherd's face, and Elsa found herself bubbling with laughter at each misstep or dramatic turn.

After countless spins and twirls, Honeymaren concluded their dance with another sweeping bow, promptly collapsing on the ground.

“How do you not get dizzy?” she exclaimed, leaning back to rest on her hands and stretching her legs.

Elsa’s mouth was beginning to hurt from how much she was smiling, and as she sat down on the grass next to the shepherd, she found it difficult not to imagine a more perfect partner, for dancing or otherwise. 

“Why aren’t you married?” The question bubbled from her mouth before she could stop it.

“How do you mean?”

What  _ did  _ she mean? “Is someone courting you?”

“Don’t you think I would’ve mentioned them in the past few months we’ve known each other if I was with someone?”

Elsa blinked. “That’s a valid point.”

“Trying to marry me off?” quipped the brunette, signature smirk in place.

“No,” she replied slowly, eyebrows furrowed, turning to stare at the ground before them.

This was a new feeling. A terribly confusing one. So many of the wonderful things in Elsa’s life were often met with bitter disappointment or some twisted cosmic punishment. Certainly she was misunderstanding whatever was happening between them.

When she glanced back up, Honeymaren was sitting calmly, playing with a blade of grass, small smile in place. Space to change the subject. Sensitivity to listen if the topic was pursued. 

Elsa inhaled deeply and tried to focus on the logical flow in her mind.

“You were trapped in the forest your whole life with the same people. There wasn’t anyone you fancied?”

“I mean, fancied, sure, I guess. I found people attractive, but there wasn’t anyone I wanted to be with, you know, forever. Preferred to wait and hope maybe one day the fog would clear and find my soulmate rather than just settle,” Honeymaren explained with a shrug.

“Oh.”

Maybe...maybe Anna could be right. Maybe she could finally give herself permission to be fully happy.

“What about you?” the voice questioned, interrupting her thoughts.

“I was always too busy worrying about freezing the entire kingdom into a snow globe to think about being with anyone.”

Honeymaren chuckled as she replied, “Makes sense. And now you’re not so busy worrying about that?”

“Something like that,” Elsa murmured in response, finally turning to fully face the woman beside her. She didn’t stop the smile that bloomed on her face or attempt to hide the warmth she felt blossoming on her cheeks.

Elsa noticed Honeymaren’s fingers paused from their twirling of the grass, but the beautiful, dark amber eyes never left hers. There was a sweetness in her smile that seemed to grow wider and closer. 

They were sitting quite close.

Maybe the universe was finally on her side; maybe she could enjoy the new spring that followed a hard winter.

The buck’s head suddenly appeared in view between them, eagerly nudging and licking the side of Honeymauren’s face.

Elsa giggled. Maybe later.

“I know, I know, how dare I forget dinnertime,” the shepherd cried histrionically, swatting away the large, furry head, “I’m going to need you to really learn to talk to animals so you can tell them to calm down.”

“Kristoff is rather fluent in Reindeer.”

“He’s been giving Ryder lessons. I catch him mooing at them sometimes.”

They shared a laugh, and Honeymaren stood from the ground. She wordlessly held out her hand, the message clear. Elsa beamed as she accepted, allowing herself to be pulled up.

_ Let’s go home. _

**Author's Note:**

> My first Frozen fic! Really excited to write for this pairing...I'm going to push myself to update as frequently as possible. PLEASE comment and critique so I can shift the story as needed. As always, thanks for reading!


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